METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ACCESSING A PERICARDIAL SPACE

• US 20060173441A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: G & L Consulting LLC.
• Original Assignee: G & L Consulting LLC.
• Inventors: Gelfand, Mark, Levin, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,226,440 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A method for accessing a pericardial space of a heart of a mammalian patient is disclosed comprising: guiding a catheter through a coronary sinus of the heart and to a cardiac vein; advancing said catheter to a distal segment of the cardiac vein; intentionally puncturing the vein with the catheter to access the pericardial space, and performing a therapy or a diagnostic procedure using the catheter an the puncture in the vein and using the pericardial space.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a pericardial space of a heart of a mammalian patient comprising:

guiding a catheter through a coronary sinus of the heart and to a cardiac vein;

advancing said catheter to a cardiac vein;

intentionally puncturing the vein with the catheter to access the pericardial space, and

performing a therapy or a diagnostic procedure using the catheter and the puncture in the vein.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the catheter is advanced to a distal segment of the cardiac vein.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising extending an access device of the catheter through the puncture and into the pericardial space.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering a therapy to the pericardial space through the catheter and the puncture.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy or diagnostic procedure includes at least one of delivery of drugs to the pericardial space, delivery of a genetic agent to the pericardial space, placement of electrodes into the pericardial space, removal of fluid from the pericardial space and infusion of fluid into the pericardial space.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising permanently sealing the distal segment with the catheter.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising temporary sealing the distal segment by expanding a balloon at a distal end of the catheter and thereafter puncturing the vein.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising permanently sealing the distal segment.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising sealing the distal segment by at least one of infusion of bioglue, infustion of a a clotting agent, delivery of heat, and delievery of RF energy.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising expanding an expandable device at a distal section of the catheter to distend the distal segment of the cardiac vein and then extending an access puncturing and into the pericardial space, and thereafter extending an access device from the catheter to puncture the vein.

11. A method for transvenously accessing a pericardial space between a heart and a pericardium in a mammalian patient, said method comprising:

guiding a catheter through a coronary vein to a region adjacent the pericardial space, and

intentionally accessing the pericardial space with the catheter by penetrating the coronary vein.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the catheter is guided through a coronary sinus to a distal segement of the coronary veing.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising sealing the coronary vein.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the seal is a temporary seal formed by expanding a distal section of the catheter in the coronary vein.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the seal is a permanent seal of a distal segment of the coronary vein, wherein the catheter extends to the distal segment and is retracted from the patient after sealing the distal segment.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein permanent seal is achieved by at least one of infusion of bioglue, infustion of a a clotting agent, delivery of heat, and delievery of RF energy.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising extending an access device of the catheter through the puncture and into the pericardial space.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the pericardial space is accessed by extending an access device from the catheter between a serous layer and fibrous layer of a pericardium of the heart.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the serous layer and fibrous layers are separated by distending a distal segment of the coronary vein with the catheter.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein a balloon on the catheter distends the distal segment.